H.A. Larson's Blog, page 45
July 14, 2017
Coffee Talk: Financial Fitness, Iron Maiden, and Other Stuff
Good morning and Happy Friday! Have you got your cup of coffee? I got my fresh, hot cup right here, so let's get started.
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First up, financial fitness. Recently, I talked about how finding commonsense financial advice for regular folks is lacking. All the advice I find is geared towards people who have disposable income and are in a higher income bracket. There's virtually nothing out there for regular folks who need some guidance and basic financial strategies. I've decided then to start dispensing my own advice for us regular folks...those of us without disposable income (or very little of it anyway) who just need the basics on how to spend less, save more, and learn some good, useful tips for everyday life. Look for that next week!
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Another thing I've talked about before is my love of heavy metal music. I acquired it when I was 14 years old through an introduction to Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. I've never been able to see either band play live unfortunately...until now! Tuesday night, my husband and I drove to Kansas City -- where we met up with my friend Audrey -- and went to see Iron Maiden's Book of Souls tour. It was awesome! Time hasn't slowed these guys down one bit! I swear though, taking photos at concerts is much more difficult than you would think. I will have to clean up a few and post it, we shall see. At any rate, the band was amazing live and it was probably one of my top 5 concerts of all time, although I might be a bit biased.
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I haven't worked on my latest book in a week, and I'm fine with that. I hadn't planned on starting it so soon, but I had some momentary energy related to the development of the characters and story that I went ahead and got going. I'm taking my time to develop my characters well and figure out their place in their world. I want this to be a killer book, and am not pushing myself too hard with it. I'm also busy with other responsibilities in my life that it's best that I don't get too heavily involved with it at the moment. All in good time!
I've talked a lot in the past about my road to being healthier, but I have to admit that I probably gained back ten pounds...okay, okay, I admit it outright! It's so difficult in my desk job to stay on track as it's easy to munch at my desk and my coworkers are constantly bringing in junk food. The best way, still to this day, is to watch your calories and get regular exercise. A week ago, I started minding my calories -- not rigidly, but just enough to get myself on board with the idea mentally -- and it was helpful. This week, I downloaded the myfitnesspal app on my phone, an app I've used in the past. I prefer this app over the one already in my phone because I can access it through a laptop as well, making it easier to enter in your own recipes instead of trying to figure out all the ingredients and amounts in a single serving of some dish I made. I gave myself a bit of a cheat day yesterday, but still stayed below my normal calories, and so today I go in full force. I'm determined, especially now that I'm older, to get myself into good shape for my later years.
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I'm done with my coffee and it's time to get ready to go to work. I'm excited for the weekend as I have an old, dear friend coming to visit tonight. She has a conference across the river and I offered to let her spend the night here. It will be nice to catch up. This weekend I have a bunch of work to complete, but I'm hoping to get out and about a bit, especially tonight. I'll keep you posted!
My latest book, The Box, is available through different retailers for $3.99! If you like short, campy, horror books, you will love The Box!
Pick it up by following this link: The Box by H.A. Larson
For information on my other books, link up to my Pronoun Author Page.
July 13, 2017
My Wednesday Post on Thursday
Good morning! So, I'm sure you noticed that my usual Wednesday post never came. There's a reason, of course! I drove down to Kansas City Tuesday afternoon to attend the Iron Maiden concert and stayed overnight in a hotel there. I originally was not going to work on Wednesday, but my coworker managed to get a hard-to-get MRI scheduled for that afternoon, so I agreed to come in and work the afternoon so she could go. Compromise folks! It all works out in the end. Anyway, with having to get up early yesterday, get ready for work, and drive three hours to make it home in time to go to work but a kabosh on my ability to post yesterday! No worries, I'll be back at my regularly scheduled time tomorrow where I'll share a few pics of the concert.
-H.A.
July 10, 2017
Remembering Ireland: The Hunt Museum & St. Mary's Cathedral
Good morning and Happy Monday! Monday means it's time for the fourth installment of my Remembering Ireland series, and this one is about Limerick, Day Two. Enjoy!
After concluding our first evening in Limerick by going to the Gate Bar (hi Peggy!), we woke up on the second day in Limerick happy that we had a day off from traveling. We got ready and ventured forth, ready to see what Limerick had in store for us. We made our way to a vegan/vegetarian cafe across from The Hunt Museum called Bubble Tea Paradise. This was when I was eating vegan a few times a week, and I was hoping to find a good vegan meal. This was the first place I actively sought out vegan fare, and I was pleasantly surprised with their amazing menu. I've since read that they've closed down.
A photo of their menu. We had breakfast but that lentil burger looks particularly delicious.
After breakfast, we walked right across the street to The Hunt Museum. The museum was created out of the large private collection of the Hunt family, and is on the site of a former customs house.
There are a few floors to explore, including the basement, and there are works from every era. It's on par with every major museum I have been to, it's just on a smaller scale than some.
A view down one of the staircases between floors.
Some old sculptures.
Down in the basement were the religious artifacts. Here's a triptych, one of my favorite kinds of antique art.
After a pleasant visit to The Hunt Museum, we walked down the road to St. Mary's Cathedral. Another impressive structure, this one was built in 1168 and has a cemetery on the grounds.
While not a religious person myself, I did get my B.A. in Religious Studies, so I find religious history and artifacts to be fascinating. I minored in Art History and Archaeology, which extends my love of history all the more.
A closer view of the cemetery.
A view towards the main entrance.
Inside the church. Seeing an ancient cathedral, with all the architectural details that I've studied over the years, was an ethereal experience.
A beautiful stained glass window.
Closer view of the main altar.
Look at how old the writing on the wall is! It's so interesting to see things this old, compared to how old things are here in the States.
Statue of Bishop Jebb framed by another set of beautifully created stained glass windows.
After visiting the Cathedral, we headed over to The Locke Bar where I had a standard Irish meal of bangers and mash. See that potrait on the wall of the gentleman? Imagine my surprise when it started to move, talk, and change! It's actually a kind of advertisement for Guinness, but looks convincingly like a real painting. Anyway, pop in here for a pint and a bite if you're ever in Limerick.
Our day wasn't even over yet at this point as we still hit up Grange Henge and Bunratty Castle. Stay tuned next Monday for that one!
After concluding our first evening in Limerick by going to the Gate Bar (hi Peggy!), we woke up on the second day in Limerick happy that we had a day off from traveling. We got ready and ventured forth, ready to see what Limerick had in store for us. We made our way to a vegan/vegetarian cafe across from The Hunt Museum called Bubble Tea Paradise. This was when I was eating vegan a few times a week, and I was hoping to find a good vegan meal. This was the first place I actively sought out vegan fare, and I was pleasantly surprised with their amazing menu. I've since read that they've closed down.
A photo of their menu. We had breakfast but that lentil burger looks particularly delicious.
After breakfast, we walked right across the street to The Hunt Museum. The museum was created out of the large private collection of the Hunt family, and is on the site of a former customs house.
There are a few floors to explore, including the basement, and there are works from every era. It's on par with every major museum I have been to, it's just on a smaller scale than some.
A view down one of the staircases between floors.
Some old sculptures.
Down in the basement were the religious artifacts. Here's a triptych, one of my favorite kinds of antique art.
After a pleasant visit to The Hunt Museum, we walked down the road to St. Mary's Cathedral. Another impressive structure, this one was built in 1168 and has a cemetery on the grounds.
While not a religious person myself, I did get my B.A. in Religious Studies, so I find religious history and artifacts to be fascinating. I minored in Art History and Archaeology, which extends my love of history all the more.
A closer view of the cemetery.
A view towards the main entrance.
Inside the church. Seeing an ancient cathedral, with all the architectural details that I've studied over the years, was an ethereal experience.
A beautiful stained glass window.
Closer view of the main altar.
Look at how old the writing on the wall is! It's so interesting to see things this old, compared to how old things are here in the States.
Statue of Bishop Jebb framed by another set of beautifully created stained glass windows.
After visiting the Cathedral, we headed over to The Locke Bar where I had a standard Irish meal of bangers and mash. See that potrait on the wall of the gentleman? Imagine my surprise when it started to move, talk, and change! It's actually a kind of advertisement for Guinness, but looks convincingly like a real painting. Anyway, pop in here for a pint and a bite if you're ever in Limerick.
Our day wasn't even over yet at this point as we still hit up Grange Henge and Bunratty Castle. Stay tuned next Monday for that one!
July 8, 2017
A Father's Day Adventure
Good morning, and Happy Saturday! I've had a leisurely morning sleeping in, eating breakfast, and now I'm relaxing here with my cup of coffee. I promised all of you yesterday that today I would talk about our Father's Day adventure in the Iowa Mountains (i.e. the Loess Hills). My husband went back to school full-time, starting this summer, and, as a result, we have to pinch our pennies tighter. While we have all of our bills and necessities covered, disposable income is pretty much at a zero.
Now, if you've been following my blog from the beginning, or even for a good while now, you all know how much I advocate for spending smart and for living well on a smaller income (more on that to come in the following weeks, so stay tuned). I love to live a life of adventure, and I will find a way to make adventure, even with little to no money. Father's Day, then, having no disposable income, I wanted to have a fun adventure that my husband would love regardless of whether we could spend money or not.
I woke everyone up on Father's Day, we cleaned up the house, I packed a nice picnic lunch, and we hit the road for the Iowa Mountains. I thought we should do a little new and a little old, and we did just that.
We took I-29 to Missouri Valley, where we got on the Old Lincoln Highway, an old highway that travels along the Iowa Mountains. Our first stop was in Missouri Valley itself at the City Park. This is a large park, with plenty of things to do for the whole family, and it has a steam train exhibit/museum. We had never been there before, and it was free, so we stopped in. It has a large main room, and a smaller room in back. The smaller room had an entire Christmas town train display! It was so cool and Nature Girl was fascinated.
On display were lots of model trains and pictures of old train stations and old towns in the area.
They even had a little outdoor steam train for the kids, and while we didn't have money for NG to ride it, the conductor invited her to sit in his seat.
After the Watson Steam Train Exhibit we headed on towards the Iowa Mountains. Our next stop was at the Harrison County Historical Village & Iowa Welcome Center. If you ever get a chance, stop here! We've been here a few times before and it's always a great place to go. There's a huge Museum & Visitor's Center where one can see a lot of history of the area as well as stop for a restroom break and some valuable visitor's information. Another cool thing about it is that it has an actual historical village, Loess Hills viewing platform, trails, and covered picnic spots.
We took a trail to the top part of the park where the viewing area is, and gazed out over the lovely Iowa Mountains. We were hungry by this time and went back down, when we were finished, to eat our picnic lunch. After that, we wandered around the historical village.
An old cabin dwelling. This was the only building not open to the public, at least on this day.
The buildings here are actual old buildings that have been moved to this location. One of the buildings is an old general store, and an old sign sits right out front, letting you know how much things cost in 1857. I'm surprised at how expensive the fruit was!
A look inside the General Store where everything is labeled.
A view outside the store looking down past the Cabin and the VC picnic shelter (one of three). The flowers were so pretty.
An old tractor outside the old Schoolhouse.
The old Schoolhouse.
Inside the old Schoolhouse.
After our visit at the Historical Village, we made our way further into the Iowa Mountains, where we stopped at one of our favorite hiking spots: Murray Hill Overlook. This is an unadulterated view of the Iowa Mountains as we walked along the ridges. You can see the well-worn path.
A view down to the Old Lincoln Highway from the ridge. You can see the Iowa Mountains on the left as it curves into the landscape. It was a gorgeous 83 degrees that day, and the visibility was nearly perfect. We were able to see for many miles into the distance.
After a pleasant, non-grueling, walk along the ridges, we made our way to our final stop: Preparation Canyon State Park. We have hiked in a remote area of the Canyon, but had never gone into the actual park area. It was so pretty!
PCSP has a cool overlook which we stopped at. Just look how far you can see across the Iowa Mountains and how gorgeous they are!
My husband had such a wonderful time on Father's Day. He gave me a big hug as we looked out over the Iowa Mountains and told me thank you. We spent only what it cost in gas for the car, and we had a wonderful, fun, adventurous day. I've included links all throughout this blog so you can see more information on where we went, and, if so desired, plan your own little adventure in the Iowa Mountains.
I hope your weekend is great!
-H.A.
My latest book, The Box, is available through different retailers for $3.99! If you like short, campy, horror books, you will love The Box!
Pick it up by following this link: The Box by H.A. Larson
For information on my other books, link up to my Pronoun Author Page.
Now, if you've been following my blog from the beginning, or even for a good while now, you all know how much I advocate for spending smart and for living well on a smaller income (more on that to come in the following weeks, so stay tuned). I love to live a life of adventure, and I will find a way to make adventure, even with little to no money. Father's Day, then, having no disposable income, I wanted to have a fun adventure that my husband would love regardless of whether we could spend money or not.
I woke everyone up on Father's Day, we cleaned up the house, I packed a nice picnic lunch, and we hit the road for the Iowa Mountains. I thought we should do a little new and a little old, and we did just that.
We took I-29 to Missouri Valley, where we got on the Old Lincoln Highway, an old highway that travels along the Iowa Mountains. Our first stop was in Missouri Valley itself at the City Park. This is a large park, with plenty of things to do for the whole family, and it has a steam train exhibit/museum. We had never been there before, and it was free, so we stopped in. It has a large main room, and a smaller room in back. The smaller room had an entire Christmas town train display! It was so cool and Nature Girl was fascinated.
On display were lots of model trains and pictures of old train stations and old towns in the area.
They even had a little outdoor steam train for the kids, and while we didn't have money for NG to ride it, the conductor invited her to sit in his seat.
After the Watson Steam Train Exhibit we headed on towards the Iowa Mountains. Our next stop was at the Harrison County Historical Village & Iowa Welcome Center. If you ever get a chance, stop here! We've been here a few times before and it's always a great place to go. There's a huge Museum & Visitor's Center where one can see a lot of history of the area as well as stop for a restroom break and some valuable visitor's information. Another cool thing about it is that it has an actual historical village, Loess Hills viewing platform, trails, and covered picnic spots.
We took a trail to the top part of the park where the viewing area is, and gazed out over the lovely Iowa Mountains. We were hungry by this time and went back down, when we were finished, to eat our picnic lunch. After that, we wandered around the historical village.
An old cabin dwelling. This was the only building not open to the public, at least on this day.
The buildings here are actual old buildings that have been moved to this location. One of the buildings is an old general store, and an old sign sits right out front, letting you know how much things cost in 1857. I'm surprised at how expensive the fruit was!
A look inside the General Store where everything is labeled.
A view outside the store looking down past the Cabin and the VC picnic shelter (one of three). The flowers were so pretty.
An old tractor outside the old Schoolhouse.
The old Schoolhouse.
Inside the old Schoolhouse.
After our visit at the Historical Village, we made our way further into the Iowa Mountains, where we stopped at one of our favorite hiking spots: Murray Hill Overlook. This is an unadulterated view of the Iowa Mountains as we walked along the ridges. You can see the well-worn path.
A view down to the Old Lincoln Highway from the ridge. You can see the Iowa Mountains on the left as it curves into the landscape. It was a gorgeous 83 degrees that day, and the visibility was nearly perfect. We were able to see for many miles into the distance.
After a pleasant, non-grueling, walk along the ridges, we made our way to our final stop: Preparation Canyon State Park. We have hiked in a remote area of the Canyon, but had never gone into the actual park area. It was so pretty!
PCSP has a cool overlook which we stopped at. Just look how far you can see across the Iowa Mountains and how gorgeous they are!
My husband had such a wonderful time on Father's Day. He gave me a big hug as we looked out over the Iowa Mountains and told me thank you. We spent only what it cost in gas for the car, and we had a wonderful, fun, adventurous day. I've included links all throughout this blog so you can see more information on where we went, and, if so desired, plan your own little adventure in the Iowa Mountains.
I hope your weekend is great!
-H.A.
My latest book, The Box, is available through different retailers for $3.99! If you like short, campy, horror books, you will love The Box!
Pick it up by following this link: The Box by H.A. Larson
For information on my other books, link up to my Pronoun Author Page.
July 7, 2017
Coffee Talk: Being busy, Patreon, and a New Book
Good morning! Have you got your coffee? I do, so let's get started.
It's been a busy few weeks for me. My life is typically pretty busy anyway, but I've taken on some new responsibilities and I've been more involved in things that are important to me....outside of The Write Life that is. Being busy is a blessing and a curse for me. While I thrive in a busy environment, now that I'm older, I also relish in some needed downtime. It's hard to have downtime when you're so busy, but I'm finding a good balance between the two.
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One of the busy things I've been working on is trying to set up a Patreon. While I have heard of Patreon before, I hadn't ever gone and taken much of a look around there. After a couple of people suggested I should look into creating one, I started doing some research and I have to say, I'm pretty keen on the idea. The only thing is, is that (if you know nothing about Patreon) you have to come up with "things" for patrons, and I want to make sure those things are worth the snuff and ample enough to fill the space. I have some pretty good ideas about what I think I'd like to do, but I'm not going to rush to stick mine out there until it's just right. Having said that, please subscribe to my newsletter, or follow me here, to keep informed about this. Patreon is such a cool concept, and I hope I can use it to create a good relationship with my supporters.
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As I've mentioned a couple of times, I've started on my next book. This book will be a bit different in that I'm really taking my time, this time, to develop my characters and set up a framework. I've typically always been a stream of consciousness writer, and while that is still partly true, it's a testament to my growth as a writer that I'm putting together the bits and pieces first. I've written a good amount of the first chapter, and I have a feeling it will be a longer book than my past efforts. It may not though, we'll just have to see how it all develops.
Well, I guess that it's for me on the lovely Friday morning. I'll be posting our Father's Day Adventure in the Iowa Mountains tomorrow, so stay tuned for that. Also, sign up for my newsletter! I send them out a few times a month, and I'll give you juicy tidbits there first, before here, and maybe a bit of extra.
Until tomorrow!
July 5, 2017
Portrait of Omaha: The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge
Good morning! Welcome back to another edition of Portrait of Omaha. If you've seen the previous posts in this series, welcome back, but if you're new here, let me tell you what it is. I live and love Omaha, NE, and last year I started a photoseries where I give you a glimpse of some of the landmarks and interesting places in the city I call home. Today, I'm sharing the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge.
Construction on the bridge began in 2006 and was completed in 2008. The bridge is named after Bob Kerrey, who was the 35th governor of Nebraska and later served as a Senator for the state for many years. It spans 3000 feet across the Missouri River and connects Omaha to Council Bluffs, IA. It also leads to many trails that are in the area. On the grounds of the Omaha side are a splash pad that doubles as an outdoor seating area for music nights, and a visitor's center for the National Park Service. On the Iowa side is Tom Hanafan Park where Loessfest is held every year.
A train trestle bridge off in the background.
As you get on the bridge from the Nebraska side.
Looking south along the Missouri River, you can see one of the sculptures, in orange, of Tom Hanafan Park.
A view, north this time, up the Missouri River.
This line denotes where the two states meet, and is a popular place for people to stop and take a picture.
The National Park Service's Visitor Center. There's fun for the kids inside as well as this cool little garden, replete with sculptures, along the little trail.
The splash pad was the perfect place to cool down on the day we were there. It's where the evening concerts take place as well.
A view of the bridge from afar. You can see the splash pad/concert seating in the foreground and the National Park Service's VC to the right. The structure is as impressive as it is beautiful.
A view of the bridge through the trees. You can also see one of the Visit Omaha blue push pins. These pins are around town and help visitors find sites.
I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into The Bob, as the bridge is fondly known. For more information on the bridge, click here. For more information on the National Park Service Visitor's Center, click here. For more information about the blue push pins, click here. And, finally, for more information about Tom Hanafan Park click here.
My latest book, The Box, is available through different retailers for $3.99! If you like short, campy, horror books, you will love The Box!
Pick it up by following this link: The Box by H.A. Larson
For information on my other books, link up to my Pronoun Author Page.
Construction on the bridge began in 2006 and was completed in 2008. The bridge is named after Bob Kerrey, who was the 35th governor of Nebraska and later served as a Senator for the state for many years. It spans 3000 feet across the Missouri River and connects Omaha to Council Bluffs, IA. It also leads to many trails that are in the area. On the grounds of the Omaha side are a splash pad that doubles as an outdoor seating area for music nights, and a visitor's center for the National Park Service. On the Iowa side is Tom Hanafan Park where Loessfest is held every year.
A train trestle bridge off in the background.
As you get on the bridge from the Nebraska side.
Looking south along the Missouri River, you can see one of the sculptures, in orange, of Tom Hanafan Park.
A view, north this time, up the Missouri River.
This line denotes where the two states meet, and is a popular place for people to stop and take a picture.
The National Park Service's Visitor Center. There's fun for the kids inside as well as this cool little garden, replete with sculptures, along the little trail.
The splash pad was the perfect place to cool down on the day we were there. It's where the evening concerts take place as well.
A view of the bridge from afar. You can see the splash pad/concert seating in the foreground and the National Park Service's VC to the right. The structure is as impressive as it is beautiful.
A view of the bridge through the trees. You can also see one of the Visit Omaha blue push pins. These pins are around town and help visitors find sites.
I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into The Bob, as the bridge is fondly known. For more information on the bridge, click here. For more information on the National Park Service Visitor's Center, click here. For more information about the blue push pins, click here. And, finally, for more information about Tom Hanafan Park click here.
My latest book, The Box, is available through different retailers for $3.99! If you like short, campy, horror books, you will love The Box!
Pick it up by following this link: The Box by H.A. Larson
For information on my other books, link up to my Pronoun Author Page.
July 3, 2017
Remembering Ireland: Limerick and King John's Castle
Good morning! This is Part Three of my photo-series: Remembering Ireland. Today, I'm going to share our first day in Limerick.
We checked out of the North Star in Dublin on Day 2, and walked across the street to Connolly Station where we boarded our train to Limerick. Even though Limerick is on the opposite coast from Dublin, it's less than three hours by train. It was my second experience traveling across country by train (the first was Omaha to Denver via Amtrak), and I have to say...it is far superior to air travel in my opinion. It's comfortable, it has a snack/drink vendor, and wifi. We arrived in Limerick in the early afternoon, where we caught a cab to our hotel: Absolute Hotel & Spa. It was modern in comparison to the North Star, and we got checked in right away. The Absolute sits on the River Abbey which flows into the River Shannon.
We got settled into the hotel and charged our phones before deciding to get out and explore the town. After taking a cab to the hotel, we realized that Limerick was actually pretty small, and getting around on foot was easy (and cheaper!).
We left the hotel and headed in the opposite direction of the train station where we soon saw a sign for King John's Castle, so we decided, "Why not?" and followed the signs there.
This sign outside of the building (which doesn't look as castle-y from the outside entrance) let us know we had arrived. We found out later that the cool picture on this sign was one of many paintings, done by a talented artist, that tell the tale of parts of the Castle's history.
This is one of those aforementioned paintings. I wish now that I had taken a photo of the painting placard so I could share the details.
A closer look.
Built between 1200 - 1212 BCE, King John's Castle was the home of King John, the brother of Richard the Lionheart. Like Malahide Castle, it is owned and operated by the Shannon Heritage Foundation (SHF).
A view from the second floor looking out over the grounds and across the River Shannon.
A view of the outside staircase from over the main doorway.
A view from the topmost part of the Castle looking out over the River Shannon from the other direction.
A view from the turret on the far left, a floor down from the topmost part of the Castle.
A view looking down of the inside staircase. The older castles we went to in Ireland had these kinds of staircases. They are incredibly old -- a fact evidenced by the blackened steps of the staircase. This layer of crud indicates the 800+ years that feet have walked on these stairs.
A view of the outside staircase from the ground.
After our visit to the Castle, we walked through a back alley where we stopped at a local pub called The Cauldron. We had a Guinness and enjoyed the small fireplace that are standard in these old buildings.
Limerick was more intimate to us than Dublin or Galway. We met other American tourists in both of those towns, but we didn't run into another American in Limerick whatsoever. Going to The Cauldron, some out-of-the-way local pub helped lend to this feeling. That's it for Limerick, Day One. I'll have two more installments dealing with Limerick as we saw more things in Limerick -- and the surrounding area -- than any other place we went to in Ireland.
For more information on King John's Castle, follow this link.
See you next Monday for Limerick, Day Two!
We checked out of the North Star in Dublin on Day 2, and walked across the street to Connolly Station where we boarded our train to Limerick. Even though Limerick is on the opposite coast from Dublin, it's less than three hours by train. It was my second experience traveling across country by train (the first was Omaha to Denver via Amtrak), and I have to say...it is far superior to air travel in my opinion. It's comfortable, it has a snack/drink vendor, and wifi. We arrived in Limerick in the early afternoon, where we caught a cab to our hotel: Absolute Hotel & Spa. It was modern in comparison to the North Star, and we got checked in right away. The Absolute sits on the River Abbey which flows into the River Shannon.
We got settled into the hotel and charged our phones before deciding to get out and explore the town. After taking a cab to the hotel, we realized that Limerick was actually pretty small, and getting around on foot was easy (and cheaper!).
We left the hotel and headed in the opposite direction of the train station where we soon saw a sign for King John's Castle, so we decided, "Why not?" and followed the signs there.
This sign outside of the building (which doesn't look as castle-y from the outside entrance) let us know we had arrived. We found out later that the cool picture on this sign was one of many paintings, done by a talented artist, that tell the tale of parts of the Castle's history.
This is one of those aforementioned paintings. I wish now that I had taken a photo of the painting placard so I could share the details.
A closer look.
Built between 1200 - 1212 BCE, King John's Castle was the home of King John, the brother of Richard the Lionheart. Like Malahide Castle, it is owned and operated by the Shannon Heritage Foundation (SHF).
A view from the second floor looking out over the grounds and across the River Shannon.
A view of the outside staircase from over the main doorway.
A view from the topmost part of the Castle looking out over the River Shannon from the other direction.
A view from the turret on the far left, a floor down from the topmost part of the Castle.
A view looking down of the inside staircase. The older castles we went to in Ireland had these kinds of staircases. They are incredibly old -- a fact evidenced by the blackened steps of the staircase. This layer of crud indicates the 800+ years that feet have walked on these stairs.
A view of the outside staircase from the ground.
After our visit to the Castle, we walked through a back alley where we stopped at a local pub called The Cauldron. We had a Guinness and enjoyed the small fireplace that are standard in these old buildings.
Limerick was more intimate to us than Dublin or Galway. We met other American tourists in both of those towns, but we didn't run into another American in Limerick whatsoever. Going to The Cauldron, some out-of-the-way local pub helped lend to this feeling. That's it for Limerick, Day One. I'll have two more installments dealing with Limerick as we saw more things in Limerick -- and the surrounding area -- than any other place we went to in Ireland.
For more information on King John's Castle, follow this link.
See you next Monday for Limerick, Day Two!
July 1, 2017
Recipe of the Week: Apple-Berry Crumblecrisp
There's nothing more summery or delicious than a fruity dessert. Some of my favorite ones from childhood were apple crisp and rhubarb crumble. Just the smell of my grandma's apple crisp would bring me running from wherever I was. While the crisp would cool, she would whip up some heavy cream and sugar until it was fluffy and filled with high peaks. I would practically drool while she would retrieve a dessert place, top it with a generous scoop of warm, cinnamon-y apples & crunchy oats, and dollop it with fresh whipped cream. A flavor explosion would occur in my mouth with all the flavors of the fruit, spices, and crisp oatmeal topping combined with the cool, sweetness of the cream. It was heavenly.
Since those days, long ago, I can't tell you how many times I've looked at some old, soft apples and thought, "These would make a perfect apple crisp!" However, I'm sad to say I've only actually made apple crisp a couple of times, and it wasn't actually a crisp. I've always been a fan of crumbles and of crisps, so I typically combine the two by making a crumble topping and a crisp topping then mixing them together. Recently, I had some old apples and a few bags of frozen mixed berries with a combined total of one cup of berries in them. I thought, "Hmm, I don't have enough apples to do one thing with, nor do I have enough berries to do much with...I should combine them into a crumblecrisp!" and that's exactly what I did. I have to say: it was divine!
Apple-berry Crumblecrisp with homemade coconut whipped cream.
Apple-Berry Crumblecrisp
Ingredients:
3 ripe apples peeled, cored, and cut into small, bite-sized pieces1.5 c. frozen, mixed berries2 T. lemon juice1 c. sugar, divided1/2 c. unbleached flour1/2 c. oats2 t. cinnamon, divided*1/4 t. each ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg*1 T. soft coconut oil1 T. soft margarine
Instructions:
1. Combine the apples, berries, lemon juice, 1 t. of the cinnamon, and 2/3 c. of the sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat on the stove. Mix well.
2. When fruit mixture comes to a light boil, turn down to medium heat and stir. Stir occasionally until the fruit is soft and the mixture has thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
3. Remove fruit from heat.
4. While fruit is resting, combine the rest of the sugar, the rest of the cinnamon, and the remaining dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir gently until combined.
5. Add the coconut oil and margarine to the dry ingredients and, using your fingers, a pastry cutter, or a fork, cut them into the dry ingredients until you have a small pea consistently. This step is akin to making pie crust or biscuits.
6. Take 1/3 of the mixture and stir it into the fruit. This will help the fruit thicken up during the baking process.
7. Put the fruit mixture into a greased baking dish.
8. Sprinkle the rest of the crumblecrisp topping over the fruit, and put into a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. The topping should be a nice golden brown, and the filling bubbling up on the sides.
9. Let cool for 15 minutes, and enjoy!**
Notes:
*In lieu of using these spices, you can use 3 t. of pumpkin pie or apple pie spice.
**I served this with some homemade coconut whipped cream. You can serve with that, store-bought cocowhip, or some delicious vegan ice cream!
Since those days, long ago, I can't tell you how many times I've looked at some old, soft apples and thought, "These would make a perfect apple crisp!" However, I'm sad to say I've only actually made apple crisp a couple of times, and it wasn't actually a crisp. I've always been a fan of crumbles and of crisps, so I typically combine the two by making a crumble topping and a crisp topping then mixing them together. Recently, I had some old apples and a few bags of frozen mixed berries with a combined total of one cup of berries in them. I thought, "Hmm, I don't have enough apples to do one thing with, nor do I have enough berries to do much with...I should combine them into a crumblecrisp!" and that's exactly what I did. I have to say: it was divine!
Apple-berry Crumblecrisp with homemade coconut whipped cream.
Apple-Berry Crumblecrisp
Ingredients:
3 ripe apples peeled, cored, and cut into small, bite-sized pieces1.5 c. frozen, mixed berries2 T. lemon juice1 c. sugar, divided1/2 c. unbleached flour1/2 c. oats2 t. cinnamon, divided*1/4 t. each ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg*1 T. soft coconut oil1 T. soft margarine
Instructions:
1. Combine the apples, berries, lemon juice, 1 t. of the cinnamon, and 2/3 c. of the sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat on the stove. Mix well.
2. When fruit mixture comes to a light boil, turn down to medium heat and stir. Stir occasionally until the fruit is soft and the mixture has thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
3. Remove fruit from heat.
4. While fruit is resting, combine the rest of the sugar, the rest of the cinnamon, and the remaining dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir gently until combined.
5. Add the coconut oil and margarine to the dry ingredients and, using your fingers, a pastry cutter, or a fork, cut them into the dry ingredients until you have a small pea consistently. This step is akin to making pie crust or biscuits.
6. Take 1/3 of the mixture and stir it into the fruit. This will help the fruit thicken up during the baking process.
7. Put the fruit mixture into a greased baking dish.
8. Sprinkle the rest of the crumblecrisp topping over the fruit, and put into a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. The topping should be a nice golden brown, and the filling bubbling up on the sides.
9. Let cool for 15 minutes, and enjoy!**
Notes:
*In lieu of using these spices, you can use 3 t. of pumpkin pie or apple pie spice.
**I served this with some homemade coconut whipped cream. You can serve with that, store-bought cocowhip, or some delicious vegan ice cream!
June 30, 2017
An Ode to Dreams
Dreams, like clouds, are voluminous, fluffy, and just out of reach. A life of adventure, inner peace, and creativity I seek. My dreams have changed and molded over the years. To fit who I am, for I am a person changed through toils and tears. My dreams are bigger, more brazen, and more bold. A testament to the woman I've become now that I'm old.
There's something to be said for dreams, and I'm not talking about the ones that visit us in our sleep. I'm talking of the collective set of hopes and aspirations we have about our lives. Over the last five years, my dreams have changed drastically from where they were six years ago, and, over the last five years, have become specific to the person I've grown into over the last five years. I feel that I've finally reached my true self...the person I was meant to be. I guess you could say that's akin to finally, and fully, growing up.
You see, I'm a late bloomer, a fact I've talked about more than once. Because of this, I've achieved a sense of self in my mid-life, not earlier. I'm not sure why this is. I've thought about it quite a bit, and I'm not sure I can pinpoint any one reason or thing that might have contributed to this. It just is what it is. However, having said that, I think one thing might be more indicative than any other: my desire to stay young. By this, I don't mean that I actually wanted to stay young, in fact, I prefer growing older. Rather, I think that I truly believed that in order to "grow up" I had to toss aside all the things about my youth that I still embraced: metal music, child-like curiosity & wonderment, and a firm desire to do things in my own time. I don't, though, I just have to incorporate them into my life to fit it better.
The last five years have been some of my best years in many ways. I've truly come into myself over the last five years, and have come out the other end as the person I want to be. Sure, there is some fine-tuning to be done, but it's all pretty minor. It's my dreams that hold me hostage and mock me. "What does she mean?" you might ask. Well, I'll tell you: You see...my dreams are big. Really big. I guess it's a testament to who I am that my dreams are as big as life as I am. I'm antsy. I'm ready to live my dreams. But, no matter how hard it is to wait, my dreams will still be there when I'm able to achieve them.
I'm just impatient.
What are your dreams? What inspires you? Drop a comment down below, and let me know! I'd love to hear from you.
My latest book, The Box, is available through different retailers for $3.99! If you like short, campy, horror books, you will love The Box!
Pick it up by following this link: The Box by H.A. Larson
For information on my other books, link up to my Pronoun Author Page.
June 28, 2017
Financial Advice for Regular Folks
I don't know about you, but I run into a wall every time I look for financial advice online. This is mainly because I don't fit into the financial/social bracket they're giving advice to. I'm adrift in a sea of financial tips and hints, floating between the two buoys of "Middle Class" and "The Poor". I can't cling to either one of those, because, truth be told, I fall in between the two. I hate to wade between these two buoys, but I don't have any other options as I'm firmly planted between the two.
You see, I'm not poor, but I'm definitely not middle class either...I'm somewhere in between. I've spent the majority of my adult life living in poverty, some because I just didn't make much money, and some because I managed money horribly. Somewhere around the time that I finally moved up out of poverty was about the time that I learned how to manage money. So, while I'm no longer poor, I have a ways to go before I have more than a little in the way of disposable income.
This is why I find financial advice online to be a terrible fit for me. Advice I've seen runs the gamut, from negotiating lower interest rates on credit cards to skipping your coffee-shop fancy coffee; from updating to energy-efficient appliances to taking your lunch to work; from not overpaying your landscaper to waiting until that big ticket item goes on sale; and the list goes on.
I'm here to tell you this, besides renegotiating my interest rates :
*I drink coffee from home every day *I have used appliances because it's all that I can afford *I always, always take my lunch to work (hey ho to all the people that throw a jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread in their lunch bag) *What landscaper? *I can't afford big-ticket items. The last big-item ticket I purchased was a used car.
The kind of financial advice I'm looking for looks something like this:
*What's the best way to invest $1000?*Is there a real way to save on grocery bills that don't involve couponing or buying just necessities? I don't do the former but practice the latter.*How to realistically budget when you have no breathing room.*Are CDs a waste of my money and time?
I'm sure there are plenty of other money-savvy tips and tricks for my income bracket that I don't know about, but would sure like to! The problem is, no one is dispensing this advice. I've had to figure things out and do research to try and find information about this kind of thing, but it would sure be handy if the massive slew of information I see out there, financially speaking, would relate to me.
Do you have any leads on good places to get financial advice for the Mid-Class-Poor? Or even the poor? Drop some links in the comments, I'd sure love to see them!
My latest book, The Box, is available through different retailers for $3.99! If you like short, campy, horror books, you will love The Box!
Pick it up by following this link: The Box by H.A. Larson
For information on my other books, link up to my Pronoun Author Page.
